Safety Message: Homeowner receives shock from 115,000-volt power line

[Beachcomber]

Beaverton man receives shock from 115,000-volt power line

BEAVERTON, OREGON (12:18 PM PST on Saturday, December 20, 2003)
A homeowner received an electric shock Friday afternoon after part of
the tree he was trimming touched a 115,000 volt power line.

The man was taken by LifeFlight to a nearby hospital. The man’s
identity hasn’t been released. Officials also could not provide
details on his condition or the extent of his injuries, but the
incident was described by some as a 'near-electrocution.'

The homeowner was trimming the tree on his property with an electric
chainsaw about 4 p.m. when a section of the top of the tree fell and
hit the power line at the edge of his property, said Kregg Arntson, a
spokesman for Portland General Electric.

Power wasn’t lost to the neighborhood, but the accident serves as a
warning for other homeowners, Arntson said.

This is just a reminder to homeowners, to really anybody, even
contractors, that tree trimming should really be done by a
professional who is trained in safety around tree trimming, Arntson
said.

 

[Louis Bybee]

Beaverton man receives shock from 115,000-volt power line

BEAVERTON, OREGON (12:18 PM PST on Saturday, December 20, 2003)
A homeowner received an electric shock Friday afternoon after part of
the tree he was trimming touched a 115,000 volt power line.

The man was taken by LifeFlight to a nearby hospital. The man's
identity hasn't been released. Officials also could not provide
details on his condition or the extent of his injuries, but the
incident was described by some as a 'near-electrocution.'

The homeowner was trimming the tree on his property with an electric
chainsaw about 4 p.m. when a section of the top of the tree fell and
hit the power line at the edge of his property, said Kregg Arntson, a
spokesman for Portland General Electric.

Power wasn't lost to the neighborhood, but the accident serves as a
warning for other homeowners, Arntson said.

This is just a reminder to homeowners, to really anybody, even
contractors, that tree trimming should really be done by a
professional who is trained in safety around tree trimming, Arntson
said.

Even the professional trimmers occasionally bite it, but this fellow took
some enormous chances. This fellow cut the top out of the tree, a very tall
fir, and the cut didn't make it all the way through. It tipped over with
some of the trunk section still attached. The upper part fell contacting the
power lines. He was in the tree just below the cut he had made. He remained
conscious, and asked people on the ground to call 911. When emergency crews
began to arrive no one would climb the tree because of the close proximity
to the power lines. The top section had remained attached to the tree, and
was very close to the still live line. The first responders called the power
company, and waited until crews had arrived, and shut off the power. The
fire department called in a special ariel rescue team, and they rigged to
lower him to the ground after attaching him to a back board. He suffered
second, and third degree burns over the majority of his body, and paramedics
suspected other internal injuries. He remained conscious from injury, to
some point during the Life ride to the hospital when he blacked out. The
time from injury to the beginning of the flight was in excess of two hours.
He was suffering immensely during the rescue as evidenced by the screaming
audible on the news coverage. People on the ground indicated that the flash,
and ball of fire at the time of power line contact was quite large, and
bright even though it was daylight at the time.

According to news coverage he hasn't died yet, but due to privacy concerns
the hospital wouldn't release information on his condition.

Louis--
*********************************************
Remove the two fish in address to respond

 

[jriegle]

Power not lost to neighbor hood? 115KV line? Huh?

I think more than just a "neighborhood" would have gone down!

 

[SQLit]

Beaverton man receives shock from 115,000-volt power line

BEAVERTON, OREGON (12:18 PM PST on Saturday, December 20, 2003)
A homeowner received an electric shock Friday afternoon after part of
the tree he was trimming touched a 115,000 volt power line.

Stupid is as stupid does. 115kv lines are at least 30 feet in the air to the
bottom phase. What a maroon.
I would be hard pressed getting near 115kv in a bucket truck. I have worked
on 69kv and less for 30 years, not interested in any higher voltages. I was
in a 230kv sub station in Mexico where the bottom phase was like 15-20 feet
off the ground. I stood at the gate and used the zoom on the camera for what
I needed.
It is sad that this happened, it also sad that he is that cheap.

 

[Ross Mac]

Even the professional trimmers occasionally bite it, but this fellow took
some enormous chances. This fellow cut the top out of the tree, a very tall
fir, and the cut didn't make it all the way through. It tipped over with
some of the trunk section still attached. The upper part fell contacting the
power lines. He was in the tree just below the cut he had made. He remained
conscious, and asked people on the ground to call 911. When emergency crews
began to arrive no one would climb the tree because of the close proximity
to the power lines. The top section had remained attached to the tree, and
was very close to the still live line. The first responders called the power
company, and waited until crews had arrived, and shut off the power. The
fire department called in a special ariel rescue team, and they rigged to
lower him to the ground after attaching him to a back board. He suffered
second, and third degree burns over the majority of his body, and paramedics
suspected other internal injuries. He remained conscious from injury, to
some point during the Life ride to the hospital when he blacked out. The
time from injury to the beginning of the flight was in excess of two hours.
He was suffering immensely during the rescue as evidenced by the screaming
audible on the news coverage. People on the ground indicated that the flash,
and ball of fire at the time of power line contact was quite large, and
bright even though it was daylight at the time.

According to news coverage he hasn't died yet, but due to privacy concerns
the hospital wouldn't release information on his condition.

Louis--
*********************************************
Remove the two fish in address to respond

I live in a forest where there are 150 to 200 foot fir trees and they have a
tendancy, on the west coast, to become diseased. These trees are quite
dangerous to remove even when there are NO power lines. They have been known
to snap right off when being cut down. I watched a professional remove one
here that was 150 feet and he used an old PG&E crane. He would connect a
large cable to the piece he was trying to remove and keep it taught so it
would fall in the correct direction. When those pieces hit the ground, the
whole house shakes. I saw on 3 foot long by 3 foot wide piece hit the ground
and bury itself about half way in.
Fir trees are definitely not a job for an amatuer to remove!
Though I suspect we won't have to tell this to the guy that got the 115K
jolt!!!..........Happy Holidays to All....Ross

 

[DarkMatter]

Stupid is as stupid does. 115kv lines are at least 30 feet in the air to the
bottom phase. What a maroon.
I would be hard pressed getting near 115kv in a bucket truck. I have worked
on 69kv and less for 30 years, not interested in any higher voltages. I was
in a 230kv sub station in Mexico where the bottom phase was like 15-20 feet
off the ground. I stood at the gate and used the zoom on the camera for what
I needed.
It is sad that this happened, it also sad that he is that cheap.

What I want to know is how did a tree EVER become allowed to grow so
near such a high potential.

Bullshit. If it was near trees, it wasn't a 115kV line.

 

[Charles Perry]

What I want to know is how did a tree EVER become allowed to grow so
near such a high potential.

Bullshit. If it was near trees, it wasn't a 115kV line.

You are an idiot. Take a 100 foot right of way, grow a 200foot tree at the
edge...ta da. And that is on level ground. Put the scenario on a hillside
and a short tree can fall into the line while growing outside of the right
of way.

Perhaps you should read the report about the recent northeast blackout.
Trees growing into high voltage lines was one of the major causes.

Charles Perry P.E.

 

[DarkMatter]

You are an idiot.

No, I am not.

Take a 100 foot right of way, grow a 200foot tree at the
edge...ta da. And that is on level ground. Put the scenario on a hillside
and a short tree can fall into the line while growing outside of the right
of way.

Perhaps you should read the report about the recent northeast blackout.
Trees growing into high voltage lines was one of the major causes.

Still sounds like lackadaisical poor management to me.

 

[Beachcomber]

Please provide source of your info.
Nothing in any of the online Oregon
newspapers.
Your saying his name was "Kregg" ?

The original story has no more details, but was posted on kgw.com at
this address on Saturday 12/19/03:

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_121903_news_beaverton_electrocution.bb67f57d.html

I am familiar with these lines and they are indeed 115,000 volts
circuits on wooden pole structures. In this part of Oregon, the
right-of-way often is literally adjacent to private residential lots
which is the case here and there are a lot of tall pine trees
everywhere which can cause potential problems.

This was near a major PGE substation with similar multiple incoming
high voltage lines and I'm sure they were able to switch over to
another feed when they de-engergized these lines to remove the man as
there was no widespread power outage in this area.

Beachcomber

 

[DarkMatter]

I imagine this will add a few bucks to everyone's power bill when the
homeowner's family sues and that whacky 9th circuit actually hears the case.

Your retarded social commentary is noted.

The ninth circuit. You mean the one that FINALLY, after several
states already declared it legal for several years running, have
decided that fucking with people over it is not constitutional?

Is that your petty beef?

 

[Charles Perry]

No, I am not.



Still sounds like lackadaisical poor management to me.

How so? A utility has no legal right to trim trees outside of its right of
way. You cannot force a property owner to let you trim a tree that is
growing outside of the right of way. What would you have management do?
Pray that trees don't grow so tall?

Try the real world for a change of pace. It is quite interesting.

Charles Perry P.E.

 

[Ross Mac]

case.


Your retarded social commentary is noted.

The ninth circuit. You mean the one that FINALLY, after several
states already declared it legal for several years running, have
decided that fucking with people over it is not constitutional?

Is that your petty beef?

The Ninth Circuit Court in SF California has a record of having more
decisions turned over than almost any other court in the nation....
Now I wonder why? I will leave that up to you folks to debate that one!

 

[Ross Mac]

news.ops.worldnet.att.net>, [email protected]
says...

Drop the "almost" and you'd be correct. Their rate of appeals
being over-turned by the SCotUS is 75%. A monkey could do
better. ...then again, what do you expect for the looney left
coast.


It's called it the "Ninth Circus Court" for good reason.

I couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[John Gilmer]

We obtain tree trimming easements before building lines in these
locations. I'm not sure what practices are followed elsewhere. Aside
from that, tree trimming is still a sensitive subject with many people
and in some cases (even with easements) people get emotional over trees
and the political heat isn't worth the effort. And its something that
(some) utilities figure they can economize on when times get tough or
the stockholders get greedy.

Since last Fall when we lost power for several days I have become MUCH more
observant of utility right-of-ways and such.

One thing I notice is that the very process of creating the clear zones
encourages the trees on either side to lean in. This happens on roads
also. On some two lane roads the trees on either side bend over almost
enough for the trunks to touch. What this means is that it is difficult to
cut down a tree WITHOUT it hitting the utility lines.

It's easy to spot places where trees hae been permitted to grow under the
local high voltage wires (which I was told were 19.8 kv phase to ground).
In one spot you can see a brown tops of some pine trees. They pick up
enough juice to stop growing up but not enough to trip out the line.

Since the telephone cables are much stronger than the power lines, the
telephone company seems to not care! I have seen several places where a
tree is being held up by the telephone cable. So long as the cable isn't
actually broken, why "fix" it?

 

[John Gilmer]

FPL seems pretty aggressive in cutting trees near their primaries here in SW
Fla.

Now that you mention it, the MAJOR source of the "outside help" our power
company got to restore service was from FPL. For several days around here
(King George, VA) there were several more FPL crews working that Dominion
Resources (aka VEPCO) crews.